


If we walk before we crawl

by KrazySuperGirl



Series: Billions of Beautiful Hearts [9]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Bruce loves his kids, Cass is a feral assassin child, Cass is still learning to love and be loved, Damian says fightme but he's two, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Child Abuse, Multi, Temporary Minor Character Death, Tired Parent Bruce Wayne, alfred is not in this much unfortunately, and his friends, cass and jason are bros, clark and bruce are best bros, diana is great, my docs name for this is 'damian' but dont be fooled, ras is a bitch, this is about cass
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:27:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25785853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrazySuperGirl/pseuds/KrazySuperGirl
Summary: “No, dreams can’t hurt us.” Dad agrees. “But when you’re in the dream, you think it’s real, and you think it can hurt you, and that’s scary.”“You protect from being scared.” Cass says.“I try. I don’t want anyone to be unhappy if I can help it. Especially you kids.”“You love them.”“Yes.” Dad answers, and when Cass doesn’t say anything else, he says, “Why don't we go to your room so Harper can sleep.”(Or: Bruce is still figuring out how to parent one assassin child when he gets another one.)
Relationships: Bruce Wayne & Everyone, Cassandra Cain & Bruce Wayne, Cassandra Cain & Dick Grayson, Cassandra Cain & Jason Todd, Clark Kent & Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent & Bruce Wayne & Diana Prince, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne (background), Talia al Ghul/Bruce Wayne (past)
Series: Billions of Beautiful Hearts [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1624645
Comments: 12
Kudos: 256





	If we walk before we crawl

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I'm back. Sorry for the unexpected hiatus...family and real life stuff...I'm sure you guys know how it is. Anyway, I got this done (13k. I dont know how much higher I can go.). So, I hope you like it.
> 
> For reference, Dami is 2, Cullen is 4, Harper is 6, Tim is 7, Steph is 7, Jason is 9/10, Cass is 10, and Dick is 15.

Late one night, Cass wakes up to the sound of someone moving through the hall outside her room, and then the sound of Dad talking. If she listens harder, there is also the sound of someone crying. A bit alarmed, Cass goes out into the hall, and finds that Dad is in one of the others’ rooms, and that the crying is from that room, where the little brown-haired girl sleeps.

Cass peeks in cautiously, and when Dad sees her, he invites her in. The girl, who is always sharp and bright, and who reminds Cass of the blue and white bolts of fire that come during storms, is crying. She’s scared. Or, she  _ was _ scared. She’s upset now because of it.

Cass has to tell herself crying is okay here. She used to believe it was a sign of weakness, but she knows things are different here. Crying still makes her nervous though.

Cass can’t see whatever scared the other girl, so it looks like it’s gone now. Also, there is a promise of protection in Dad’s body, so if whatever it is comes back, he’ll get rid of it.

Dad is saying soft soothing words to her, and it looks like it’s calming her down. He invites Cass closer with his body again, so Cass goes and sits on the floor next to the bed.

Then Dad says something else...except it’s not talking. It’s going up and down, and slow and fast, and it’s soft and...pretty. It sounds like music. Cass fixes every piece of her attention on him and listens and watches closely.

Dad’s voice is extra expressive like this. It amplifies the things in his body, and right now his body and his voice are loudly singing  _ love safe protect comfort _ . And then Cass realizes that he’s saying it, not just to the girl he’s holding, but to  _ Cass _ as well.

Cass has gotten used to the  _ love love love _ that pours out of every interaction in this family. That is, she’s gotten used to it in the sense that it amazes her every time she sees it, and it always gives her an odd feeling in her chest, but she’s starting to accept that it’s normal here. What she hasn't gotten used to is the  _ love and family _ that their bodies say towards  _ her _ .

Cass has a hard time understanding why they do that. She isn't useful. She hasn't done anything for them. They haven't given her a task or a challenge that she then completed well. Why would they feel that way about her?

Another thing that’s throwing her off is the way they show love. One of the ways is touch. Except touch is one of the few things Cass knows. And what she knows about touch is that it is a weapon. It hurts.

But here, it rarely does, and never intentionally. They hug each other, shove each other, sit on each other, lean on each other, pretend to fight each other, but they never want to hurt each other. If they do by accident, it’s always followed by an apology.

They are  _ always _ touching each other. But if that’s one of the ways they show love, why do they love Cass? She very rarely lets anyone touch her. No matter how much evidence there is that touch is not a weapon here, Cass’ memories constantly tell her otherwise. But even then, Cass has the constant urge to ignore the danger that her head is telling her about, and just accept the affection these people want to give her. That day where she had felt hurt and sad because of remembering a day with her father, she had been so upset that she had given in to that urge, and she had let Dad hug her. But she’s still scared that the love in those touches will turn into pain.

And Cass doesn’t speak either, which is one of the other ways this family shows love. She is learning to talk with her hands, but she can’t talk with her mouth like everybody else can. She can’t do things for them, because she doesn't know their way of life and she doesn't know what they want. And she can’t give them things, because she doesn't have anything to give them. So why do they love Cass?

Cass is a bit afraid to ask, because they really don't need to love her, and if she asks, they might realize that and stop loving her. So she just lets them, and tries not to feel bad about it.

Like now, with Dad saying he loves her as much as his daughter. She just watches with wide eyes.

Soon, the other girl is asleep, and Dad talks normally again and presses his lips to the top of her head.

Then, Cass’ curiosity takes over and she asks, “ _ What… _ ”

She makes a vague motion with her hand to show the up and down of Dad’s voice earlier. He makes a different motion that must mean the thing he was doing. “ _ Singing? _ ”

Cass nods and repeats the sign.

He says, “ _ Singing is making music with our voices. We do it because sometimes it says things better than our words can. _ ”

“ _ She scared, you make safe _ .” Cass observes.

“ _ Exactly. _ ” Dad says with a proud smile, and Cass can’t help smiling back just a little. “ _ I wanted her to know that I am here, and I love her, and will keep her safe.” _

“ _ Why scared?” _ Cass asks.

“ _ She had a nightmare, a scary dream.” _

_ “Dreams not hurt us.” _

_ “No, dreams can’t hurt us.” _ Dad agrees. “ _ But when you’re in the dream, you think it’s real, and you think it can hurt you, and that’s scary.” _

_ “You protect from being scared.” _ Cass says.

_ “I try. I don’t want anyone to be unhappy if I can help it. Especially you kids.” _

_ “You love them.” _

_ “Yes.”  _ Dad answers, and when Cass doesn’t say anything else, he says,  _ “Why don't we go to your room so Harper can sleep.” _

So they leave that room, Dad turning off the light and shutting the door softly, and go to Cass’ room. Cass climbs onto her bed, and Dad pulls the blankets up around her. He says,  _ “Have a good sleep. I love you.” _

Then he leans forward and presses his lips to her forehead. Cass, all her defenses down this late at night and so close to sleep, blinks up at him, surprised.

Dad is sad again, the way he often is when he looks at Cass, so Cass frowns at him, puzzled. Then he just gives her a soft reassuring smile, overflowing with love and pride. Cass still doesn't know why he feels that way towards her, but it fills her with such a warm glow, so she smiles back.

-

The next day, Steph bursts suddenly into the room where Bruce, Cass and Jason are. Bruce notices that Cass tenses for a moment, but then relaxes. Steph exclaims with a grin, “B! I have to show you something!”

“What is it?” Bruce asks.

“It’s the video of the performance last week! It doesn’t show me on the piano, it only shows the dancers, but it’s really cool because the dancers look so good, and you can hear the music really good.”

“That’s great!” Bruce says with a smile. “We can put it up on the TV.”

“Do it, do it!” Steph says, bouncing excitedly.

Bruce does it, and Cass and Jason look up from the pictures they were coloring to watch.

In the video, Steph starts to play as the curtain rises, and the dancers are revealed. The first dancer starts to move, and the rest of Steph’s classmates onstage join. They are young, unrefined and inexperienced, but it is clear they are enjoying themselves. Steph is playing a simple but pretty song, and the dancers match it easily.

After a minute or so, Bruce looks away from the screen. Steph is watching proudly, and Jason has a small smile as he watches, but it’s Cass that draws Bruce’s attention. Her eyes are huge on her small face, and her jaw is slack. She is fully facing the screen, and her fingers move unconsciously in vague echoes of the dancers’ movements.  _ Awe _ is painted onto every inch of her face, and her eyes are nearly shining.

The sight brings a small smile to Bruce’s face. He should have known, with her ability to read body language, that Cass would have a strong reaction to something like dance. Now that he’s thinking about it, how has she never seen Dick doing his acrobatics? She’s been here for almost a month. Bruce should do something about that. And he should make sure to show Cass more dancing. Maybe he could take her to a professional ballet performance.

The video ends, and Cass raises her hands and asks,  _ “What is that?” _

It’s Jason who explains,  _ “That is dance. They move to music in patterns to make something pretty.” _

Cass tilts her head, looking to the frozen image on the TV screen.  _ “They...sing?” _ she inquires.

Bruce considers this.  _ “Yes. Their bodies make music.” _

_ “You sing…” _ she says.  _ “You dance?” _

Cass looks curious, and kind of hopeful. Bruce answers awkwardly,  _ “I...can dance.” _

Cass’ eyes light up.  _ “You dance.” _ she says, commandingly.

Bruce flounders for a moment.  _ “Dick can show you acrobatics instead.” _

_ “Acrobatics?” _ she asks.

_ “Like dancing, but in the air, and with no music.”  _ Bruce explains.  _ “You’ll see. Come.” _

Dad wants to show Cass acrobatics. She doesn’t know what that is, but if it’s like dancing, she wants to see it. They go find Dad’s oldest son, and he agrees eagerly. Then they go to a room with a lot of different kinds of equipment. Dad says sometimes acrobatics needs a partner, so he goes to help. Then the boy climbs up onto some kind of platform, and he  _ flies _ .

Cass knows he isn't actually flying. She can see how he’s using momentum and speed and strength to get from one place or position to the next. It’s all completely human but...just barely.

He moves with so much grace, so much ease, it looks effortless. This is his element, where he was born to be. And every movement paints  _ joy _ into the air. It’s not even that he  _ feels _ joy. It looks as if he’s making it. As if he’s some kind of light that is shining joy.

And Cass can tell that every move is practiced. He knows what he’s doing. But it looks as if he just decided when he woke up that he was going to fly, and just made it up as he went along. It’s not routine. And Cass keeps being surprised by what he does next.

That confuses Cass, because usually she can tell what people are about to do, but he’s not even thinking about what he’s going to do. He just does it, and Cass doesn’t expect it because it’s almost as if  _ he _ doesn’t expect it, even though Cass knows he does.

And he’s threaded joy through it all. It’s like he learned and created each of those movements with joy, and now it’s part of them every time he does this, and the joy is made instead of felt.

It’s beautiful, and Cass can’t look away for the whole time he’s up there. When he comes down, Cass thinks she can feel her face beaming, and he looks at her and is happy and proud, and he smiles at her.

“ _ How did you like it? _ ”

She smiles back. “ _ Pretty. Like music. _ ”

He understands. “ _ Because you hear us by what our bodies do. You would love dancing. _ ”

Cass nods. “ _ I saw. I asked Dad dance. He bring you. _ ”

He grins. “ _ Someday, we’ll get Dad to dance. But I can show you other people dancing. It’s a bit different from what I do. _ ”

“ _ Come. _ ” Cass says, and he laughs when she looks at him impatiently.

Bruce just sighs fondly when Dick and Cass go running off to watch videos of dancers, completely forgetting that he’s there. He’s really happy to see Cass wanting to learn about things she likes, and happy to know she feels she can. He’s not always sure whether she feels comfortable with everyone and feels safe. The first few weeks, he found her sleeping on the floor under her bed a lot. After those first few weeks though, she has been sleeping on the bed.

But then Bruce started finding her hiding on top of bookcases when she’s gotten overwhelmed. When she sees him coming, she shuts her eyes and covers her ears, and she almost always has the little stress ball from her first night here. Bruce thinks it’s probably a sign of trust that she covers her eyes and ears, leaving herself unable to see or hear what he’s doing, but he’s not really sure, and he doesn’t want to end up doing something, thinking she trusts them, and end up scaring her.

But what he does know is that there  _ is _ some progress.

-

Dick is walking through the halls, looking for his father, when he runs into two of his siblings. Tim and Steph come crashing around a corner and come upon Dick. He asks them, “Have you seen Dad?”

Tim shakes his head, and Steph answers, “Nope!”

Then Alfred appears. He says, “Master Tim and Miss Steph, were you perchance the ones playing in the ballroom earlier?”

They look at each other, then back at Alfred. They look to Dick as if he might have an answer for them, then back to Alfred.

Alfred takes this as confirmation, and tells them, “Then you will be the ones to help me clean it up.”

Tim and Steph pout, but they don’t say anything. Alfred says to Dick, who is still lingering, “Did you need something, Master Dick?”

Dick asks, “Have you seen Dad?”

“I believe he is in the parlor with Miss Harper.” Alfred answers. Then. herding Tim and Steph towards the ballroom, he says, “Come along now.”

Dick sets off towards the parlour, and on the way, finds Harper trying to convince Jason to help her build a cardboard car. In the parlour, he finds Bruce. He says to get his attention, “Dad?”

Bruce looks up from cleaning up what looks like the remnants of a tea party. “Yes?”

And now Dick is nervous. He starts, “You said when we’re sixteen we can fight crime with you.”

Bruce puts down a teacup. “I did.”

“And I’ll be sixteen next year. You’ve already given me a lot of training, and I started the Teen Titans without even being a vigilante, so…”

Dick trails off and Bruce continues, “So you’re thinking about being a vigilante in earnest?”

Dick nods. 

Bruce says, “You’ll need a suit, and a name. We’ll have to step up your training, and you’ll need to train with your suit and equipment. You’ll be working with me for a while after you start.”

Dick nods along to each point, having already known this. Bruce pauses for a moment, “We’ll start working on it.”

Dick beams at him, and gives Bruce a quick hug. “Thank you Babi. I’m gonna go figure out my name.”

He dashes out of the room, leaving Bruce behind to sort out the mess of conflicting thoughts in his head.

Bruce knew this was coming. He has been training the oldest kids for exactly this outcome, and he knew he couldn't keep Dick out of the hero life, but he’s still conflicted.

This life is dangerous. That’s why Bruce has done his best to teach Dick everything he knows. Diana has even taught him some of her fighting knowledge. And Bruce may have been training Dick for years, but he knows there are things one can only learn through experience. For all that Dick may be among the best in terms of technical skill, Bruce is afraid that someday, he’ll go out, and he’ll be faced with a fight where all that ability means nothing.

And then there are the people like Gotham’s Rogues. What will happen the first time Dick goes up against the Joker, or gets exposed to Scarecrow’s fear gas? Bruce has already taught Dick to work through fear gas so he isn't completely incapacitated, and he will be making sure Dick has a utility belt stocked full of antidotes for every possible toxin he might encounter, but Bruce will probably never stop worrying.

Even without people like those Rogues, the hero life is hard, and Bruce can’t stop thinking about everything that Dick will see and how he will be affected. There are so many bad things in this life, and Bruce’s sessions with his therapist are testament enough to that. He’s afraid Dick will go out and become a hero, and the bright, happy child he is now will be destroyed.

Dick will have support. He’ll have Bruce, and the rest of the older heroes, as well as his Titans friends. He’ll have a therapist if he needs it. He won’t be like Bruce, a lone hero for years. But that doesn't stop Bruce from worrying. And he knows nothing he does will diminish the pressing weight of anxiety in his mind, so he does his best to ignore it. Dick will be fine.

An hour or so later, Bruce goes to find Dick. He finds him in the Cave, papers with drawings scattered around him. Dick is throwing a ball up and down and ignoring the papers around him.

Bruce asks, “How is it going?”

Dick blinks up at Bruce then looks back down at his drawings and huffs in frustration.

“All the cool names are taken.” He complains.

Bruce thinks through all the names currently in use before saying, “I wouldn't say that.” 

“Babi, your name is Batman.  _ Bat. Man.” _ Dick says flatly. “You can’t really complain about other people’s hero names not being cool.”

“What’s wrong with Batman?” Bruce grumbles.

“It’s kind of weird. I mean...a bat?”

“There is nothing wrong with Batman. It was made to be intimidating, not cool.”

“Criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot...yeah, I know. And when you’re a criminal thinking there’s a seven-foot-tall demon vampire man-bat eldritch horror after you, sure, that’s pretty scary. But when you’re a random civilian looking at Batman and the Justice League on the news, and you start to really think about it, it’s pretty weird that a grown man dresses up to fight crime in a bat suit.

“You should see the things they say about you on the internet. Actually, you probably shouldn't. I’m scarred for life.” Dick shudders.

Bruce just looks at him. “Why are you going on the internet and reading what people say about me?”

Dick shrugs. “It’s funny. And I was curious.”

“Please tell me you didn't get involved in these discussions.”

“I didn't. Much.”

“Dick.”

“It’s fine. I just encouraged a few of the wilder speculations and made fun of the saner ones. Your secret is safe. You know, I know we’ve got Superman and Martian Manhunter, but people are weirdly quick to accept the aliens explanation for literally everything.”

Bruce sighs. “Did you find ideas for a name on the internet?”

Dick rolls his eyes. “I did not find ideas for a name on the internet.”

“Well, why don't we think of ideas for a name instead of talking about what people think of my identity.”

“You just don't like the ‘Do the Butts Match?’ thing.”

“Nobody likes the ‘Do the Butts Match?’ thing.”

“Vicki Vale likes the ‘Do the Butts Match?’ thing.”

“Vicki Vale likes Brucie Wayne. She doesn't count for anything.”

“You count her as a representation of the journalist standard.”

“Unfortunately, she is.”

“Too bad you can’t just ask Uncle Clark or Aunt Lois to do all your interviews.”

“I wish I could, but that would give too much away.”

“The League got things wrong about you for ages even after you gave them your name because there is absolutely no true information about you, and you think a random civilian is going to figure it out from one good interview.” Dick raises an eyebrow and gives Bruce a cheeky grin.

Bruce points to the papers. “Focus on picking a name.”

Dick groans and flops onto the desk. “You’re changing the subject.”

“Because we’re supposed to be picking a name for you.”

Dick groans again. “I have  _ no _ ideas.”

“You have plenty.” Bruce says, indicating the papers scattered around them, with names like ‘Batboy’, ‘Firebat’, ‘Batkid’, and ‘Batbird’.

“They’re all bad. Nothing fits.”

“Nothing at all?” Bruce asks as he sits down beside Dick.

Dick pauses for a moment. “There is one, but…”

“Okay. What is it?”

Dick says uncertainly, “Robin.”

“Robin Hood?”

Dick shakes his head. “Just Robin.”

“My Mom used to call me that.” Dick offers as an explanation.

“I remember.” Dick leans into his side, and Bruce puts an arm around his shoulders.

Dick says quietly, “I don't remember very much of my parents anymore. Just really fuzzy memories.”

Bruce rubs his arm in response. “Do you think she would be okay with me using that name?” Dick asks.

Bruce pauses to consider his words. “I can't tell you for sure, but I know your parents would be proud that you want to help people.” 

“Your mother told me she would be proud if you grew up to be like me,” Bruce admits, “but you are so much better than me in so many ways Dick, and you haven't even finished growing, so don't worry about whether they’d approve. You are an amazing person, and they would be proud. Just like I am.”

Dick wraps his arms around Bruce and buries his face in Bruce’s chest as a tear falls. “Thank you Babi.” he whispers. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Bruce murmurs as he kisses the crown of his head.

After a moment, Bruce asks, “Have you thought about costume designs?”

“I was thinking about using their colors.”

“Okay. They’re a bit bright, but you’re not really meant to be sneaking around in the shadows, are you?” Bruce runs his hand over Dick’s hair.

Dick smiles into Bruce’s chest. “I’m not a vampire. Like you.”

Bruce huffs. “I’m not a vampire. I’m a bat.”

“Maybe you’re a bat vampire. Then we’ll wake up one day and we’ll all be bat vampires like you because you bit us. We'll be that dark and mysterious family in the crumbling mansion that no one knows anything about. Did you know a group of bats is called a colony? We’ll be a colony of bat vampires.”

“Aren't we already a colony of bat vigilantes?”

“Not yet. The others are still too little. They’re baby bats.”

“And you’re growing up.” Bruce says softly.

Dick just nudges him. “You’re not rid of me yet, Dad.”

“I hope I never am.” Bruce says earnestly.

Dick snorts. “I’m gonna remember that next time I get in trouble.”

“Oh you’re planning a next time, are you?”

“No.” Dick says innocently. “I’m just keeping my options open.”

“I don't know if I should believe you chum.”

“You should.” Dick says solemnly.

Bruce huffs a laugh. “Alright. You should get started on costume designs.”

“Okay. But you can’t help with this. First, because it’s a surprise, and second because you suck at drawing.”

Bruce puts a hand over his heart. “I’m hurt.”

“No you’re not, Babi. You suck and you know it.”

“I do know it.” Bruce says dramatically. He smiles and ruffles Dick’s hair before he leaves. “I’m sure it will look great.”

-

Bruce is thinking through all of the protective measures he could possibly fit into Dick’s suit, when he walks into a hall and finds three of his children.

Bruce knows Harper was talking about making a cardboard car, but apparently she had dragged Tim into it, because Bruce is currently looking at a cardboard box taped to Tim’s skateboard. It looks like Cass has also been persuaded for join, because she is sitting somewhat bewildered in the box, holding a paper plate with the middle cut out that is apparently the steering wheel.

And, Bruce notes wearily, the dog has ropes tied around him in a makeshift harness attaching him to the “car”. Ace had come back from the Kent farm a week ago. Bruce had been a bit apprehensive, because he didn't know if Cass would be scared of the dog. Cass  _ had _ been wary of him, and had stalked the dog for two days. Thankfully, Ace is well-trained and it didn’t bother him to have a silent shadow following him around all the time. But Cass had eventually decided that the dog was safe.

Tim yells “go!” to the dog and he starts running down the hall, and Bruce steps forward to stop them and tell them not to use Ace as a carthorse.

But then Cass laughs.

It’s not a particularly pretty laugh, and it’s not dignified or graceful or restrained. It’s not even really a full laugh. It’s more like a snort followed by a short “ha”, but it stops Bruce in his tracks. It is the first happy sound he has ever heard Cass make.

Cass blinks, startled, looking like even she hadn’t expected that. She notices Bruce in the doorway as she comes careening past, and looks unsure of herself, but Bruce is beaming, who-knows-what showing in his body language, and she doesn't stop a second laugh.

Which is, of course, when they reach the end of the hallway. Ace skids to a stop, but Cass, unable to control the momentum of her “car”, comes flying right into him, and dog, girl, and “car” go crashing into a heap against the wall.

Cass comes up grinning.

And Bruce really doesn’t have the heart to scold them after that, so he just tells them to do that on the driveway outside, where they won't crash into inconveniently-placed walls.

Alfred  _ is _ going to scold when Harper crashes herself into his flowerbed, but Bruce isn't really thinking of that right now.

Later in the day, Bruce looks for Cass and tells her, “ _ I want to make sure you know you’re safe here.” _

Cass nods and Bruce continues, “ _ Do you remember the first night you were here, I was trying to show you how the lock worked? That was because I want you to know that your room is meant to be a safe place for you only. If you tell somebody not to go into your room, they’ll listen, and you can lock others out too if you need to. _ ”

Cass nods again, and Bruce asks, “ _ You’ll use it if you need to? _ ”

Cass gives a little huff and says very deliberately, “ _ I feel safe. _ ”

And it’s true. She’s known she is safe since that first week. And she has  _ felt _ safe since that time she’d thought that memory of her father hurting her was actually happening. It has just been her instincts and ingrained reactions that have been making her do things like flinch when someone enters a room too suddenly. Dad worries too much.

Bruce sees the way her face says she means it, and he gives a little smile and a nod. There is probably no answer that will completely settle his fears, but this is good enough. It lifts some of the weight off his mind at least.

Bruce starts to believe it more when, one day, he catches Cass in his closet trying on his sweaters, and she just grins at him. And it helps that the kids have fully accepted her. They include her in everything they do, and Cass seems to be starting to voluntarily seek out games to play. She really likes puzzles apparently. And everyone has made rapid progress in sign language so they can talk to her.

Cass has been getting good at sign language too. Her “speech” is still halting and a bit awkward, but most of the time she doesn't struggle to find the words to express herself. She has the most problems with abstract concepts, it seems. Obviously, body language deals almost completely in actions and emotions, so Cass has had no trouble learning signs that express these things. It’s everything else that’s hard. And this extends to names too.

Right now, Cass has no understanding of the concept of spelling. And since names in sign language are finger-spelled, she struggles the most with names. With Bruce, it isn't as much of a problem, because the kids just use the sign for “Dad”, and Cass has learned that sign from them and uses it easily. She can’t do that with the others though. But, as Bruce is discovering, Cass is smart. So after a month of just pointing at whoever she was talking about, she has made her own sign names for everyone by combining their spelled names with signs for things she knows.

The kids are all happy that she has named them, but they aren't all happy about  _ what _ she’s named them. For example, Cass’ name for Jason is his spelled name combined with the word “fluffy”. Cullen’s is “little one”, Tim’s is “bunny”, Harper’s is “fire”, Dick’s is “dancer”, Steph’s is “music”, Babs’ is “sight”, and Alfred’s is “rock”.

And Bruce can’t help but feel immensely proud of how far Cass has come from the little scared starving girl he found on the streets.

-

Talia keeps being reminded of Cain’s daughter. She got away. Away from her father, away from the League, and she found her own family. There had been a few sightings of Bruce Wayne with an unknown girl. A little black-haired girl who shaped her hands into impossibly expressive signs. She was tiny, just a slip of a girl, but the pictures Talia’s underlings had brought back showed her with a happiness that lit up the whole frame. And that image wouldn’t leave Talia’s mind. It was this image that came to her mind after she brought her son before her father.

Her father had demanded a demonstration of his abilities so far, and Damian’s tutors had obliged. Talia had felt a great amount of pride in her son. At only two years old, he was already proving to have natural talent for the fighting arts. Talia doesn’t get to see him often. Her father sends her all over the world on League business, and she is as good as a stranger to Damian, so she cherishes the times she does get to see him. These times, she spends training him, telling him stories about his father, and learning about his progress. And clearly, he has been doing well.

He stands in front of his grandfather, back straight and pudgy little hands folded behind his back, his bright green eyes staring up at the Demon’s Head in awe and shining with an eagerness to please the cold man. Ra’s inspects the perfect posture instilled in him by his tutors. Then, as Damian demonstrates the katas he has learned, Ra’s says, “Very good. The child is progressing well. It will be a fine vessel.”

Talia’s blood runs cold. She speaks with cold anger barely repressed, “A vessel? I was under the impression that you wanted Damian to be your heir, Father.” She ever so subtly emphasizes Damian’s name.

“My plans have changed.” he says, as if this is some trivial matter. “It was grown in a lab, and I am told it persists in showing weakness when asked to attack an opponent. It does not show the dignity required of an heir of the house of Al Ghul. It will be a vessel.”

“Father!” Talia protests, beginning to lose her composure. “I beg of you! Reconsider! Surely with proper-”

Ra’s cuts her off by slapping her. Her head turns from the force of the blow, and she brings a hand to her cheek. The Demon’s Head snarls, “Do not grovel to me, child.”

Damian, even though he sees this woman a few times per month at most, cries out in confusion and fear, “Mama!”

Ra’s attention snaps to the toddler, and he backhands him viciously. “What is this? Silence, child. I am your grandfather and your master. You will obey me! Show such pathetic tendencies again, and you will be severely punished, along with your snivelling wretch of a mother.”

Damian lets out a cry, which only enrages Ra’s further. He raises his hand to strike the child again, but Talia cries out, “Father, no! Stop!”

This focuses Ra’s solely on Talia, but at Damian’s continued crying, he barks to one of his underlings, “Take him away! I will deal with my disobedient daughter myself.”

They do so, Damian struggling all the while, and then Talia is left with Ra’s. Delivering her punishment causes him to forget Damian for the time being, and when it is over, Talia makes her way to Damian’s rooms, where she finds him unharmed, if severely distraught. She comforts him awkwardly.

It is then that her mind goes to the Cain girl, in Gotham and being raised by Batman. And suddenly, she has a plan. A dangerous, traitorous plan that a large part of her wants to ignore, but there is a bruise forming on Damian’s cheek from when her father had hit him. She rises and starts barking orders to Ravi, Damian’s current nurse.

He doesn’t bother asking her if she’s sure. One look at her face answers that question. At the threshold, he stops. When she turns to look at him questioningly, he says, “Go, Lady Talia. I will hold them off.”

She nods and sprints out the door and down the corridor, avoiding what lackeys she can and incapacitating the ones she can’t. As she runs, she pulls out a device. It is one Bruce gave her, and it is one that likely has a tracker. She sends a short message,  _ “Find me. I need you.” _

When Bruce gets the message, he is immediately concerned. He didn't actually expect Talia to use the device he had given her, and even then, it wasn't like her to admit the need for help. So he tracks its signal, and finds it moving across the desert. He gets the Batplane ready, says goodbye to his children, and flies to the spot the signal is coming from.

When he gets there, it is to the scene of Talia fighting her father. It doesn't look like the fight has been going on very long. Talia is holding some sort of bundle, which is slowing her down. A fight with her slowed down like that wouldn't last long, which means it hasn't been going on for long.

The plane hovers over the ground and opens a ramp to let Bruce out. He jumps into the fray, fighting off the ninjas that are just arriving. He makes his way to Talia and Ra’s. When Talia notices his arrival, she shouts, “Take Damian!”

Bruce is confused, but he fights to get closer. Talia reaches out to hand the bundle to him, but they are still too far apart. A nearby ninja raises his sword, and it is aimed at the bundle.

All of a sudden, a tiny shape darts between Bruce and Talia, grabbing the bundle and ducking out of the way of the oncoming sword. For a moment, she pauses, and that is enough for Bruce to exclaim, “Cass?” before she goes back to fighting ninja.

The surprise of her arrival is enough to make the three other fighters pause, but Ra’s is the first to recover. He takes advantage of the pause, and then his sword is embedded in Talia’s abdomen. Bruce shouts in alarm, “Talia!”

Ra’s pulls his sword out, and Talia falls to the ground. He tells a nearby ninja, “Take her away, and bring her to the Pit. I am not finished with her yet.”

Then there is a loud cry. Bruce looks to the source, and finds that it is coming from the bundle that Cass is holding. The bundle is a child. Cass is staring at Talia’s limp form in distress, and the child in her arms is crying.

Ra’s ignores the cry and says, “Detective. And the Daughter of Cain, the One Who Is All. I assume you are here because of my traitorous daughter, Detective, though I must admit, your companion is somewhat of a surprise.”

The fighting stops at Ra’s signal, and Cass comes to stand beside Bruce. Bruce growls, “Ra’s Al Ghul. Still as despicable as ever.”

“Now now, Detective. There is no need for such hostilities. I am merely disciplining my child. I’m sure you can understand, having children of your own, though none of them are...legitimate.”

“I am nothing like you, Ra’s.”

“Believe what you wish. But, I shall be requiring that you return the infant to me.”

“Return him to you? I will not be leaving  _ any _ child in your hands, regardless of whether you  _ require _ it.”

“A shame.” he say dispassionately. “I suppose I will have to have another heir created.”

“Heir?”

“Yes. A child with the blood of the Demon and the Bat, engineered to perfection and grown in an artificial womb, trained from birth in the ways of my League. He is a perfect heir.”

At Bruce’s shell-shocked face, he says, “You did not know? Interesting.”

Bruce snarls viciously. “If I had known, I would  _ never _ have left him with you, Ra’s.” Bruce spits the man’s name like poison. He steps in front of Cass and the child - his son - protectively.

Ra’s gives him an evaluative stare. Then he says, “Very well. I will allow you to take him. It was weak anyway.” Ra’s spins on his heel and climbs in a truck. The remaining ninja follow him as he returns to his base along with Talia’s body.

As they drive away, Bruce turns to the two children. He almost stumbles in shock from everything that had happened. Then his son - Damian, Talia had called him - cries again, and he forces himself to pull it together. Bruce holds out his hands, and Cass passes him the little boy almost robotically.

Now that he can look at him, Bruce can see Damian’s parentage clearly. He has a near copy of Bruce’s face, and Talia’s eyes. Damian stares up at him and asks uncertainly, “Baba?”

“Yes.” Bruce says weakly. “Yes, I’m your Baba.”

“Mama?” Damian asks.

“She’s gone.” Bruce says sadly. He has a feeling she’ll be back, but in what state, he doesn’t know.

Damian looks like he’s having trouble understanding that, but Bruce leaves it. He can explain it some other time. Damian though, looks like he’s getting upset. To head off the tantrum, Bruce bends down to Cass’s level, hoping to pull her out of her daze as well. He says to Damian, “Dami, this is Cass. Cass is your sister.”

Damian repeats, “Cass.” Then he says in Arabic, “ _ Friend _ ?”

Bruce feels a bit stupid after that. Obviously Damian would know Arabic better than English. He was raised in the League. Bruce says in Arabic, “ _ Yes. She is a friend. She is also your sister. _ ”

Damian exclaims happily, “ _ Sister! _ ”

Cass blinks a couple times, then responds by signing, “ _ New brother? _ ”

When Bruce nods his head, she says, “ _ Dad is sad, but new baby is good. Brothers and sisters happy about new baby. _ ”

Bruce signs back as well as he can with one arm holding Damian, “ _ Yes. I am sad. Don’t worry. I am happy about the new baby though. _ ”

Damian watches them sign with wide eyes. He tries to imitate them by waving his arms and opening and closing his hands while smiling at Bruce hopefully.

Bruce gives him a small smile and signs and speaks at the same time, “ _ Good job, Dami! You’re going to be talking to Cass in no time! _ ”

Damian beams at him proudly, and Bruce decides that they should get going. He leads Cass into the plane and starts it up. When they’re in the air and the autopilot is set, Bruce turns to talk to Cass. He asks, “ _ Cass, why did you follow me?” _

Cass answers, “ _ You worried. You going to fight. I saw Lady That Helped Me Run. I want to help. _ ”

Bruce sighs lightly. “ _ I was worried. I want you to be safe. I don’t want you to have to fight, or have to help me.” _

_ “But I helped. I saved baby brother. I can fight. So I fight to help. _ ”

“ _ Yes, you helped, and I’m glad. But I cannot fight well if I don’t know the whole situation. You surprised me back there.” _

_ “I surprised you, I scared you?” _

_ “Yes.” _ Bruce admits.  _ “It scared me.” _

_ “Sorry.” _ Cass says, distraught, and it looks like the situation is beginning to hit her. “ _ I surprised and scared you, then she died.” _

“ _ Not your fault.”  _ Bruce says immediately and insistently, seeing the way she’s beginning to panic.  _ “You didn’t kill her. Ra’s did. It’s not your fault.” _

Cass shakes her head stubbornly, tears beginning to fall. “ _ I...I kill…” _

Bruce’s hand on her shoulder shocks her into silence. He says, “ _ Listen. It is not your fault. Ra’s would have killed her later. And he had no intention of truly killing her. That is why you didn’t notice. He will bring her back with the Pit.” _

_ “Still killed her,” _ Cass insists.

_ “He did. And it is horrible and evil, but you are not responsible. _ ”

Cass says, “ _ I do not believe.” _

Bruce puts a hand on her head. Cass believes that she is not a good person, that whatever mistakes she makes are irredeemable. She will not accept comfort or reassurance over this, and it will continue to eat away at her. Bruce wants to fix that. He wants to help her believe that she deserves the happiness she has found. He wants to repeat that it’s not her fault, that he loves her, that everything will be fine, until she believes him, but that won’t work. He knows he can’t fix that particular issue in one conversation. For now, his sad look communicates everything he wants to say.

He wipes away a stray tear with his thumb. Then he notices that Damian is starting to look upset in response to Bruce and Cass’ emotions. Bruce smiles reassuringly at the infant, saying,  _ “It’s alright Dami.” _

He manages to find one of the toys that are always laying around, and gives it to Damian to keep him entertained. Cass’s stress ball is nowhere to be found, probably left behind in the Cave, but one of Tim’s stuffed animals manages to do the job for the moment.

Then Bruce does his best to focus only on piloting the plane and not on the thoughts swirling around in his head.

This is going to be difficult. Bruce has a new child to take care of, and one of his current children has just been traumatized again. And Bruce doesn’t know what will happen with Talia and Ra’s after this, but he knows it probably won't be good, and it will keep worrying him.

Alfred too, looks worried when Bruce returns home and he sees Bruce’s weary expression and Cass’ tear-stained face, as well as the extra child Bruce is carrying. But after Bruce explains, he helps him get Damian settled.

Then Bruce introduces Damian to the rest of the kids. After he tells them what happened, Jason asks, “So he’s your real son?”

And Bruce may be very tired, both emotionally and physically, but he sits everyone down and says, “None of you are any less of real sons or daughters to me just because you do not have my genetics.”

“‘Cept me.” Steph says lightly.

“No, Steph.” Bruce says very seriously. “I’m talking about you too.”

Then he says to all seven kids, “You are all my kids that I love equally. Do you understand?”

He waits until all of them say they understand, and then he tells them he loves them and tells them to get ready for supper.

By the next day, Cass has given Damian a name using “baby”, and Dick has started carrying him around everywhere, which Damian tolerates with wide-eyed confusion. By the end of the day, Bruce has realized that he hasn't seen or heard Damian cry since the fight where Ra’s killed Talia. Damian is actually suspiciously similar to Tim, when he first came to the Manor. But all the kids have accepted him easily. Tim has even been trying to learn Arabic from Damian himself, which is obviously not the best way to go about it, but Tim seems to be determined to stick to this method, and Damian is apparently taking this task very seriously, though he does tend to get distracted easily.

A day later, Bruce comes upon the scene of all the kids gathered together, teaching Damian to paint, using finger paints and getting paint everywhere. Thankfully, they’re in the kitchen, where messes are easier to clean. When Bruce joins them, Harper proudly shows him both Damian’s and her own paintings, since she was apparently the one with the idea to paint with Damian.

This sight gives Bruce a lot of mixed feelings.

On one hand, Bruce had thought Talia had lost the baby. She had told him that. And he had been devastated. He had grieved. But now, here Damian is, alive and growing and playing with his new siblings. It’s something Bruce hadn't thought he’d have, and he’s so happy and grateful for it every time he sees Damian.

On the other hand, Bruce is only meeting Damian now. He’s missed so much. He hadn't been able to see Damian as a baby, to hear his first words, or watch him learn to crawl, and then take his first step. And he can’t help feeling a twinge of betrayal towards Talia.

But Bruce knows Ra’s likely had far more control over the situation than Talia. And Bruce knows Talia is loyal to her father above all else. There is little chance she would have made a different choice, would have left her father sooner, and raised Damian with Bruce. Even though Bruce knows they wouldn't have been able to work out, knows that they wouldn't have lasted together, a doesn't want to be with her anyway, he does still care about her, as a friend, if nothing else. There is still a part of Bruce that wishes they had a chance at that life.

And it was an enormous risk trying to get Damian to Bruce. Talia was killed. And Bruce can’t stop worrying about that. He knows Ra’s has no intention of keeping her dead, but he also knows what the Lazarus Pits do to people. Talia will have changed. She’ll be more loyal to her father than ever, because there is no way he wouldn't take advantage of her mental state after being in the Pit to manipulate her into regaining the loyalty she apparently lost. And there may be no trace left of the person she was. Bruce will probably have to fight her at some point.

Bruce is also very worried about Cass. She’s become withdrawn, and smiles from her are rare again.

Then Alfred reminds him that Bruce is required to attend a gala. He doesn’t really want to be away from home any more than necessary with everything that’s going on, but it will only be for one evening, so he goes. 

The gala is every bit as boring as he expected it to be, and the Brucie act is just as exhausting as it always is. But halfway through the event, Bruce sees Selina Kyle coming towards him.

Selina has been angry at him for not telling her he’s Batman, but especially for not telling her he knew she was Catwoman, for close to two years now. Granted, she pretended nothing happened for a while, but that didn't mean she wasn’t angry at him. Except, since Steph got her to help find him, she hasn't seemed angry with him. Just wary. And recently, she’s even talked to him a few times. 

When she reaches him, Bruce tips his head in a greeting.

“I like to keep tabs on the strays I find.” Selina offers as a premature explanation. When Bruce just nods for her to continue, she asks, “How is that blonde girl I helped find you for?”

Bruce smiles a little. “She’s fine. She’s with her mother now. Her father hasn't bothered them, and her mother went to rehab.”

“She seemed fond of your kids.”

“She is. She especially loves that she can drag Tim into doing whatever she wants. I think they’ve been planning some kind of big prank.”

“I thought you said she lives with her mother.”

“She does. She just stays over a few days per week.”

“So that’s...what, six?”

“Eight.” Bruce corrects.

Selina raises an eyebrow, and after a moment, Bruce decides that she deserves the truth. “A girl from the League of Assassins, and...Talia gave birth to a boy, and hid him from me.”

Selina contemplates this for a moment. “I suppose you two didn't part on good terms.”

Bruce shrugs. “Her father killed her for trying to get Damian to me. But before that, no, we didn't.”

Selina nods carefully. Then she says, “You look pale.”

“Take care of yourself, Bat.” she says before she walks away.

Selina had only talked to Bruce to satisfy her curiosity. But that’s always the way it is with him, Selina thinks. She pokes at some seemingly insignificant matter that she’s curious about, and ends up stumbling into unexpectedly deep waters.

The thing with Bruce is that she understands him. Until she realizes she doesn't. And it happens again and again with each new aspect of him. So he’s a frustrating, confounding, fascinating puzzle that she keeps coming back to.

Because she knows, knows intimately Brucie Wayne’s face, she’s seen it a hundred times in her own mirror. She knows the specific look that hates the act and the showiness and the attention, and recognizes the tilt of the eyes that craves it anyways. But she didn't know why he talked like he wanted cover and didn't smile like he wanted to deceive.

And Bruce Wayne, the one she first met in the community center, reflects her own burning need to do something, fix something. But Selina is a selfish woman, isn't she? Where is the need to make things right she sees in him?

In Batman too, she knows the pain, the rage, that storms inside and demands expression. She remembers the scarred man who was obviously rich but trying to pretend not to be, the one who she had fought after he tried to protect Holly and ended up hurting her instead.

But Bruce has taken that hurt and forced it to do good. How many times has Batman been said to offer jobs to criminals he catches? And Selina has seen him around his kids. He looks at them, and suddenly he becomes a different person. Selina can only think of the effort that would go into taking down walls, and keeping them down like that.

Sometimes, Selina thinks hopefully that he is what she could have become if her life had been only a bit different. But she’s not a good person, not the way he is.

When Bruce had told her about being Batman, Selina hadn't been surprised. Maybe that he’d told her so soon, or even at all, but she hadn’t been surprised. When he told her that he knew she was Catwoman though, she had been caught off guard. She had been startled by the strange feeling it had given her of being exposed. And it was petty, but because of that, she had gotten angry at him, and she’d ignored him. But she hadn’t really been angry, she was just trying to distance herself. And yet, here she was again, asking about his kids and running off when it stopped being light and guarded, even though she knew his kids were what brought his walls down.

-

Damian has been settling well into the family. Bruce had thought he was similar to Tim, and, in terms of letting himself cry and be upset, he is, but they’re not alike in all ways. Because, as it turns out, Damian does not hesitate to demand the things he wants.

One morning, Bruce is reading Damian a picture book, through which Bruce discovered that he had already started being taught to read, when he apparently gets bored. So Bruce gets up to put the book away, but then Damian throws his little body at Bruce’s shins and starts pushing and pulling at them, adding in a few hits for good measure. When Bruce just looks at him, puzzled, Damian cries, “ _ Baba, play! _ ”

Bruce is still confused. Is Damian trying to fight?

Oh.

Of course. The only “playing” Damian would have done with the League of Assassins would have been training to fight and sparring.

How, exactly, someone fights with a tiny two-year-old, Bruce doesn’t know. And Bruce really does not like the implications of these realizations.

He crouches down and says to Damian, “ _ Hm. I don’t think I know that way of playing. Can you show me? _ ”

So Damian does his best to show Bruce how to “play”, though there are a few instances of Damian getting frustrated because Bruce is “ _ doing bad _ ”. At one point, Damian stumbles and falls, and he lands on his feet with a quick tuck-and-roll that would be adorable if it wasn't because Damian has learned how to take a fall at only two years old. Damian moves with the same grace and purposefulness as Cass and Dick, because of being trained from a young age to be aware of their bodies and how they move.

Nothing can describe how much Bruce hates that Cass and Damian have learned to fight instead of learning to play. But they have, and that’s how they interact with the world and with other people, so Bruce has to figure out how to work with that to teach them to do things like play.

Actually, now that he thinks about it, Cass hasn't seen him fight, except for that first night where she fought him herself. Maybe it would help her make sense of things. So Bruce looks for someone he can spar with while she watches. Babs isn't here, and neither is Dick, because he’s hanging out with his Titans friends, but Jason loves sparring, so Bruce goes to find him and then Cass.

-

Cass is kind of confused when Dad says to her,  _ “Jason and I are going to spar. Do you want to watch?” _

But she agrees, because she’s also curious. She follows them down to the Cave, and they face each other on the mats.

Right away, it’s different than Cass had expected. Dad waits for Jason to make the first move, instead of attacking right away. And Dad holds back his strikes. Even though Cass can see he knows Jason could defend himself if those attacks were meant to hurt, he never lets them be that way. And everything about how Dad is moving say he wants to teach, wants Jason to learn and get better, not get hurt. And Jason is having fun. He’s enjoying a challenge, and a chance to do something with his father.

Really, Cass shouldn't be surprised that this is how they “fight”. She knew all this. She isn't seeing anything that is new or that she hasn't seen before. But it makes her believe it even more to see it displayed in a fight, and it is so different from what she is used to seeing when people fight that she can’t look away.

Cass remembers when her father would fight her. He was fast and strong, but he had to use all of his abilities to get a hit on her, even years before she left, and he was always, always angry, and wanting to hurt. But Dad is ten times as fast and strong, and he also moves with a grace and power that Cass’ father never had. And yet, his every movement is perfectly controlled, and he holds back just enough for Jason’s sake.

And the whole fight is like a dance or a conversation between the two of them, with Dad letting Jason “speak” however he wants.

Cass uses “fluffy” for Jason’s name because he’s always kind and gentle and soft. He’s like Dad that way. He  _ cares _ . He gets upset about bad endings in stories and loves books and learning about things. And, unlike Dad, who gets steel-hard when he’s angry, Jason reminds her of a cat that puffs up its fur when it’s angry.

And somehow, all of that shows when he’s sparring with Dad, not like how Cass is sure only the need to survive showed when she had to fight her father. So Cass comes away from watching that fight more sure than ever of her trust in Dad and his family. And a bit more sure of herself too.

She knows she’s not a very good person. The man she had killed and Talia, whose death she had caused, were evidence of that. Cass has to work to deserve things others can have easily, and she has only ever hurt people. But Dad fights, and he doesn’t hurt, so maybe, if Cass can figure out how to do more than hurt with her abilities...

The next day, Cass finds Jason bouncing a rubber ball boredly in the living room. She stops just inside the doorway and looks at him consideringly for a while.

Then, lightning-quick, Cass sweeps his feet from under him, and he lands on the couch with a surprised yelp. “Cass!”

Cass looks at him and shapes her face into something she hopes says  _ play _ .

He blinks at her, and then he smirks. “It is  _ on _ .”

And then he’s chasing her, and she dodges nimbly. She leaps at him, and he twists out of the way. He launches an attack, and Cass flips over him.

Back and forth across the room they go, flying over and around the furniture. In all of Jason’s movements, there is only  _ joy, fun, competitiveness, happiness. _ And Cass just lets the play fight go on and on until he starts getting tired.

She finally just tackles him to the floor, and sits on him to pin him in place. He grumbles good-naturedly, “You win.”

Cass didn't kill him.

Not that she was going to, or thought that she would, or wanted to, but Cass didn't kill him. Or hurt him.

He’s starting to get impatient and asking if she’s going to let him up, but it’s distracting Cass, so she puts a hand over his mouth. He gives her a grumpy look, but he’s not afraid. There is no malice in him. He trusts her.

He trusts her fully, and is just letting her sit on him and think.

She doesn’t hate him, doesn't want to hurt him, doesn't  _ have _ to hurt him. But that’s what her skills are for. All through the pretend fight, she had been using her skills, and she hadn’t used them to hurt.

Cass doesn't have to hurt people.

Even though her skills were meant for it, she can decide what to do with them. She can do whatever she wants with them. Even play.

Cass is not doomed to only ever hurt people.

That thought fills her with a wonderful sense of triumph, and she grins brightly at her brother. He reflects her joy back at her with an answering smile, even though he doesn’t know why exactly she’s happy, and that makes her even happier.

Cass feels like singing.

She clambers off of Jason and pulls him to his feet. Then she takes off running through the halls. She leaps and twirls and flips and swings Jason around. Jason follows obligingly, and just shrugs whenever they encounter someone else, but he laughs lightly in an echo of Cass’ joy.

A couple days later, Dad takes Cass and Dami and Cullen and Tim to the place called a park. He brought Cass here before, but it was empty then. Now, it’s full of other kids and their parents. One family in particular, Cass watches with interest. The boy and his sister are playing in the sand, when he gets a scratch. When the father notices, he runs over and consoles the boy. Then he smiles fondly, and says something that makes the boy and his sister laugh.

Cass studies the family carefully. Then she asks Dad, “ _ Why are they like that? Pretend? _ ”

Dad looks at her sadly. “ _ No, Cass. They don’t pretend to be happy.” _

_ “Father really is nice?” _

_ “Yes, it looks like it.” _

Something about that makes Cass feel upset.  _ “All fathers like that?” _

Dad looks even more sad. He looks angry too, but not at Cass. And he wants to protect her. Cass can’t see what he’s trying to protect her from, but Dad is just like that. He says,  _ “They should be. Most fathers, the good ones, try to always be kind to their children.” _

Oh. “ _ Why my father different? _ ”

Dad looks like there’s something very heavy on his shoulders. When he speaks, he speaks carefully, like what he has to say is of vital importance.  _ “Your father was a bad man, Cass. He wanted to hurt people, and he tried to use you to do it. That was very wrong. He should have been protecting you and loving you and teaching you so you could grow and learn and live a happy life. He should never have treated you the way he did. All he did was hurt you. And you didn’t deserve it. You deserve to be treated like you are precious. Because you are.” _

All through saying this, Dad’s eyes are shining with the truth of it, and before Cass can stop them, there are tears welling up and spilling down her cheeks. For a split second, her old instincts start preparing her for a punishment, but the sight of Dad pushes them back down. He won’t do that. Instead, he holds out an arm, and Cass goes and lets him hug her. Lets herself want to be hugged.

The next day, Cass finds one of her brothers crying. He’s the one who reminds her of the bunny she saw once when she went outside to the part of the yard that has lots of trees. It had a little twitching nose and ears that were always listening and big soft black eyes. It was very timid, but also very curious, and as long everyone stayed still and quiet and far away, it hopped around looking at everything. And Cass thinks Tim reminds her of that bunny.

But right now he’s just sad. It’s not a very big sadness, and it doesn’t have lots of parts, the way adults’ sadnesses usually do. It’s just small and simple, and Cass knows it will end, but she also knows it still hurts.

It’s been a while since Cass has looked at crying and thought of how it might be a sign of weakness. Here, it never is. What people feel matters. Everybody cares, and they all want others to be happy. Here, emotions are not a flaw, but an important part of a person. And Cass’ father was wrong.

After Dad said that, Cass was angry. Because her father had used her to hurt people, and it wasn't to make her better like she had believed. Cass was not wrong for not wanting it. She wasn’t bad because she didn't want to go back to him. And there wasn't something broken in her because she didn't want to take away life.

It isn't wrong that she wants others to be happy.

Cass’ father was wrong. And he gave her the ability to read people, to understand them, to feel what they feel, and tried to make her use it to hurt them. So Cass will use it to help, to help, to make people happy.

When Cass sees Tim crying, she marches up to him and hugs him. It’s not a very nice hug. It’s pretty awkward and uncomfortable. But Tim is surprised enough to stop crying, and he hugs back with equal determination. And later, when he maybe brags about it just a little, no one really blames him for being proud that he was the first person Cass hugged.

-

Bruce feels like singing. Or doing something else equally un-Batman-like. Because Cass has been going around for the past three days hugging everyone who is even slightly sad. Apparently it started with Tim, who had been crying because his fish died.

And she’s started playing again, albeit with what seems like a new sense of purpose. Every game seems to be intended to accomplish something, though Bruce doesn’t know what. But Cass is playing and laughing and smiling again.

From what Bruce can see, Cass has been happy. Except for one incident a couple days ago, where Bruce had asked Cass to clean her room for the first time, and she had a bit of a meltdown because she didn't know what he meant or what he expected of her, everything has been going smoothly.

But really, if Bruce doesn’t stop smiling, one of the other heroes on the Watchtower is bound to notice. Which is, of course, when they do. Clark and Diana join him, and Clark asks, “What’s got you in such a good mood?”

Bruce answers, “Cass has been hugging everyone, and she couldn't let anyone touch her a month ago.”

The look they give him is confused, and Bruce realizes guiltily that they don’t know about Cass or Damian yet. So he explains (and shows them pictures).

Afterwards, Clark shakes his head. “We don't visit for a month, and suddenly, you have two new kids.”

Bruce tries to defend himself, “Technically, I already had Damian, I just didn’t know about him.”

Clark says with a concerned expression, “And that’s another thing. Your ex hid your child from you. That probably wasn't fun to find out so suddenly. And raising Cass seems like a pretty big job. You should have said something.”

“I know. But like you said, raising Cass is a big job. And with Damian on top of it, I kind of forgot about everything else.” Bruce adds earnestly, “Thank you though, for wanting to be there.”

“Of course, Bruce.” Diana says. “You’re our friend. And truly, we are very happy for you that your children are doing so well.”

“Yeah.” Clark says. “I’m always happy to hear about your kids.”

“Thanks.” Bruce smiles. “I’m sorry for not telling you earlier.”

“So.” Diana says after a moment. “When can we meet them?”

“We’re overdue for a visit.” Clark says in agreement.

Bruce gives them a look of exasperation, but he’s not going to say no.

So two days later, Clark is texting Bruce, “I’m coming over. Diana’s with me.”

When Clark and Diana arrive and Bruce goes to greet them, he brings Damian with him. Clark, of course, immediately says, “This must be Damian. Hello.”

Damian looks at his smile suspiciously, and Clark laughs, “He’s definitely your son.”

While Bruce gives him an unimpressed look, Diana says to Damian, “I am told you are a fine warrior.”

Damian looks at her, and then smiles proudly, “ _ I’m strong! _ ”

“ _ That is good, young one. _ ” Diana says.

Clark gives a fake disappointed look when Damian starts happily chattering to Diana in Arabic, and she answers back. He sighs. “Why do kids always like me the least? It’s always one of you two.”

“Because you’re annoying.” Bruce says.

Clark grins, “You love me.”

Bruce just rolls his eyes. 

-

There are strange people in the house.

Cass doesn't know what to think about that. She creeps to the top of the stairs, too silent for anyone to hear, and watches them talk to Dad and Damian. There are two of them, a man and a woman. 

The woman is tall, with long black hair and sharp eyes. Cass can immediately tell she is powerful, and knows it. But she moves with an amount of honesty and sincerity that Cass very rarely sees. She is smart too, and Cass doesn't doubt she could take down everyone in her vicinity with terrifying ease if she wanted to, but the trust Dad has in her, and the fondness she feels for Dad, as well as the dignity she moves with makes Cass think she would never want to.

Everything about the man is odd. Looking at him, Cass has a feeling she would get if everything in her room were moved three inches to the left. She can read him just fine, but that feeling itches at her. He has the bluest eyes Cass has ever seen, and he’s powerful too, but he looks like he isn't quite comfortable with it. He moves carefully, like everything, even the air, is as delicate as a flower, unlike the woman, who looks like she’s confident in herself. But the man also has the brightest and happiest attitude Cass has ever seen.

He looks like an overgrown puppy, who is happy and excited but still not used to his long gangly legs.

Cass giggles softly to herself about that observation, but then he tilts his head and looks straight at her despite the objects that should block his vision, and she freezes. Then she remembers Tim telling her about an alien who can see through things and hear everything, who saved people with Dad and is his best friend. 

Cass had expected the alien to be less...human.

But she gives him a little wave that only he can see, and he grins. Dad follows his gaze knowingly, and gives Cass his own little smile, and the woman, who must be the princess, Dad’s other best friend, looks at them and then at where they’re looking. When she realizes why they’re sending smiles into seemingly empty air, she gives Cass a smile that is more in the eyes than anything, and tilts her head in acknowledgment.

Cass decides she likes Dad’s friends. They’re nice. She isn't going to go any closer, because the knowledge of what they can do makes Cass uncomfortable, but she’s happy to just stay here and watch.

Then, somebody else must realize they’re here, because all of Cass’ siblings come running down the stairs. Dick goes and hugs the alien, and Jason hugs the princess, and everybody starts talking at once. Everybody is happy and excited, and Cass knows it’s going to overwhelm her if she tries to read everybody at once, so she just watches Dad.

Dad is happy too, but it’s quieter. Cass realizes he’s not as open as usual. But he’s not closed off as if he’s afraid. He’s just...comfortable. Like he knows he doesn’t need to keep all his walls down for them to trust him, like he knows he can have boundaries and interact with them on his own terms. And they’re okay with it because they can be his friends and love him and support him without him baring himself to them.

Cass thinks she likes that. It means she doesn’t have to be a perfect, all-things-to-all-people, completely open person for others to like her. She can tell people to back off, and they won’t immediately discard her. She does that with her family, doesn't she? She can go hide somewhere if everything is too much, and they leave her be.

Cass is content to just linger in the background the rest of the time Dad’s friends are here, but when they’re going to leave, the alien makes himself smaller and comes up to Cass. He gives her a friendly smile and signs, “ _ Hello. My name is Clark. You must be Cass. Your Dad has told me all about you. _ ”

He’s telling the truth, and Cass smiles back at him. “ _ I’m naming you- _ ” Cass signs his name using “puppy”.

He chuckles. “ _ Really? My wife will love that. What are you calling Diana? _ ”

She signs the name using “princess”.

He nods. “ _ Of course. I couldn't imagine her with any other name. _ ”

But then he shifts, and that carefulness of movement flashes forward again, so Cass frowns. “ _ Stop being afraid of yourself. _ ”

He looks surprised for a moment, and then he smiles. “ _ I’ll try. _ ”

He signs goodbye, and then he goes back to Dad and his other friend, looking like he’s going to say something serious.

When Clark comes to join Bruce and Diana while they walk towards the foyer, he smiles and nods back towards Cass, “She’s just like you too.”

Bruce says, unimpressed, “You say that about every one of my kids.”

“Because they are.” Clark says. But when they’re out of earshot of the kids, he starts, “Lois is pregnant. I didn't want to tell you, because we were afraid it would...be like the other times, but it’s already lasted longer than the other times, and I took her to the Fortress and everything is apparently fine, so,” he takes a breath and repeats, “Lois is pregnant.”

Bruce and Diana stop, and Diana smiles softly. “That’s great, Kal.”

“Yeah. We’re just hoping…”

Bruce clasps his shoulder, and Clark gives him a grateful smile.

“If there’s anything we can do…” Bruce says, and Diana nods in agreement.

“Of course.” Clark smiles back at them.

-

A week later, during their shift of monitor duty, Superman asks Batman, “Why did you decide to adopt kids?”

Bruce thinks through ways to answer. This is probably about Lois being pregnant, so he answers honestly. “Dick needed me. And then Jason did too, then Tim, and so on. I didn't really decide, so much as...didn't decide  _ not _ to when they came into my life, and it just...happened.”

Clark says, “My Ma says something like that. She says our children were gifted to us by whatever higher power there is, and that they don’t truly belong to us, but we have the responsibility to care for them so they grow into good people.”

Bruce turns this over in his head. “I think that might be true.” He adds, “The most we can do is teach them, and guide them, and pray that’s enough when they leave us.”

Clark stays silent for a few moments. “Do you think parenting is different for superheroes?”

“We might have a bit more direct control sometimes, but the stakes are a little higher too.” Bruce says after a moment of contemplation. “Otherwise, no.”

“Aren't you afraid of what might happen to your kids because of the life we live?” Clark asks.

“Every day.” Bruce says without hesitation. “I’m absolutely terrified. And they want to be heroes too.”

“Are you going to forbid them?”

“How could I? It would hurt them too much. This is the example I’ve set for them.” he says with a gesture that encompasses all their surroundings. “It’s a part of them, no matter what my wishes are on the subject. I’m just trying not to push back the age I’m letting them join me until it’s at thirty five.”

Clark hums in consideration. “You’ve trained them though. You’re one of the best fighters and smartest men in the world. You’re probably the perfect parent for kids like them.”

“Perfect? Ha!” Bruce barks a laugh. “I am  _ not _ a perfect parent. Just last night, I snapped at Jason during training. Then the other day, I implied I didn't want Dick to come out with me, and he took it to mean that I think he isn't capable enough. And last week, I nearly missed Steph’s recital because I forgot to put it in my calendar. I’m not even naturally parent material. You’ll be a good parent though.”

Clark looks at him in surprise. “How…?

Bruce gives him a flat look. “We were  _ just _ talking about my kids. I know how to figure out what the questions are really about.”

Clark shakes his head fondly. “You were also just saying you aren't a good parent. You really have a way of contradicting yourself.”

Bruce rolls his eyes. They spend several more minutes in companionable silence, watching the monitors. Then Clark says, “I know a lot of people think I’m some sort of perfect god or something, but I’m not, and honestly, the thought that my son or daughter could turn out just like me is a little terrifying.”

“It is.” Bruce agrees. “But it’s not only on you. There will be other role models for them to follow.”

“You’re right of course, but I’ll be the biggest along with Lois. I’m responsible for who this child becomes.”

“I think you’re giving yourself a bit too much credit. Children are remarkably resilient. They can keep a heart of gold even in the worst circumstances. And your parenting will definitely not fall into that category.”

“Still.”

“Still.” Bruce repeats in agreement. “But between you and Lois, your kid will do okay with you two to take after. On the other hand, I don't know who my kids take after, but I’m glad it’s not me.”

Clark looks at him incredulously. “Now you’re not giving yourself  _ enough _ credit.” When Bruce gives him a look, he says, “Bruce, if you don’t think those kids take after you, you are dead wrong. You have amazing kids. And that is at  _ least _ partly because you are an amazing person.”

“Maybe.” Bruce says.

“Fine. Don't believe me.” Clark says. “But I’m right. And there are a lot of people who will back me up.”

“Watch the monitors.” Bruce grumbles, embarrassed.

Clark grins as he does as Bruce says. A moment later, Bruce says, “You’ll be a good father. And you’ll have the whole Justice League to help you, as well as your parents.”

Clark smiles at him. “Thanks Bruce. That means a lot.”

Clark gets a small smile in return.

-

One morning, Cass comes up to Bruce, “ _ I want to speak. _ ”

“ _ Okay. Now? _ ” Bruce asks.

Cass nods. So Bruce starts by teaching her to say her own name. She eventually manages a, “G’ass,” which Bruce figures is pretty good for a first try. He does make her practice the hard C sound a few times though.

Then he tries his own name. But when he says, “Bruce,” slowly and clearly, Cass gives him a long look. Then she frowns and shakes her head. Her face scrunches up in concentration, and after a long moment, she says instead, “Ddhaahd.”

When Bruce raises his eyebrows in a silent question, she gives him a stubborn smile. “ _ My name for you is Dad. _ ” she signs clearly.

Bruce doesn’t bother asking if she’s sure or if she means it. He just signs, “ _ I’m glad. _ ”

To which she impishly replies,  _ “I know.” _

-

Talia has known nothing but  _ green green green _ and the smell of blood for weeks. Her father told her that she and her son were killed when Batman attempted to take him away, and she tore half a dozen of her father’s servants into limp bloody pieces. Her father sends for more, and he reminds her that not all of Batman’s genetic material was used when Damian was created.

She bows, and sends his instructions to the scientists employed by the League. She thinks that this child may be able to satisfy the pit inside her where bloodshed does not.

Her father tells her about all the greatness this child will one day accomplish and, through a haze of green that rises up at the reminder of what Damian will never be able to accomplish, she thanks her father for allowing this second child, this second chance, to be created.

The scientists failed. This is what her father says when she reports on the development of the little embryo in the artificial womb. Her father wants a strong heir. Not a girl. The project is to be terminated.

Everything is  _ green green green _ even though it had settled to a calm pool in the weeks following the new child's creation. Talia burns. She reaches through the haze for something that makes sense.

Her father had said Batman had caused her and Damian’s death.

There is no anger that is not green. There is no anger that is real. She reaches again, and she sees herself running with Damian, a communication device from Batman in her hands.

Talia remembers Damian’s creation, and it was not in petri dishes and artificial wombs. She remembers everything her father has said. She remembers her father’s sword in her stomach. She knows now, what the truth is.

She leaves, and when she returns, she says, “The project has been terminated as you ordered, Father.”

And when she looks up at her father, her eyes are of brightest green. Talia is loyal to her father. She will not betray him. But this, she will not do. She will not watch a child of hers be killed. Her child, her daughter, is safe. She will grow, and eventually be born, and then continue to grow, all the time hidden and guarded by assassins loyal to Talia only. And Talia will not lose this one.

**Author's Note:**

> I like Superbat. I read a lot of Superbat fics. But, I think I like them best as platonic soulmates. If you like platonic soulmates Superbat, and you haven't read it already, the series "The Last Of The Real Ones" is really good. It has multiple authors, audreycritter, jerseydevious, and one or two others, I can't remember who.
> 
> I'm basically only here long enough to post this, but I love comments, and I will read them and respond to them when I'm back. I like when people say the specific things they like about the story, and don't hesitate to ask questions, because those are great too.


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